Chapter 13 Life of a Single Woman
The following day, I was woken by the familiar greeting from Wheezy as his rough little tongue dragged across my cheek. At first I tried to pretend I was still asleep, but he kept going, licking with the persistence of someone who fully believed this was an act of love I should appreciate. I groaned into my pillow, cracked one eye open, and met his too-bright, too-innocent stare.
“Good morning to you too,” I muttered, lifting a hand to pat his head. He purred loudly, almost triumphantly, as if he had accomplished a major mission by waking me up.
I rolled onto my back and glanced toward the empty side of my bed. My king-sized bed always looked ridiculously large when I first woke up, like some prairie of untouched sheets waiting for life to happen. I stretched my legs and arms as wide as I could, my limbs spreading like a starfish desperately trying to claim territory. Even so, I still couldn’t span half the mattress. The sheer emptiness made me snort softly.
“I wonder what it would feel like to have a boyfriend,” I mumbled to no one in particular.
Wheezy meowed, which I chose to interpret as either agreement or judgment. Hard to tell with cats.
As old as I was, I was still surprisingly, and embarrassingly a virgin. I haven’t been in any serious relationships all my life. Every time I tried to get into one, it was always cut short. Not because of incompatibility or because I was awkward though, maybe I was, a little but because of my father.
Dad had assigned people to spy on me whenever I got close to anyone. My college days weren’t any better. Dad paid my boyfriends back then to break up with me. He even went as far as paying one million dollars to my last boyfriend. One. Million. Dollars. Just to get him to leave me.
When I confronted Dad about it, he always said it was for my own good. As if messing with my love life and bribing my romantic interests was somehow a fatherly duty. And because I was young and foolish, I argued, but I could never outdo him. He always won. He always got his way.
Then he died. And suddenly, all his decisions became my responsibilities.
After Dad’s death, I took over as the heir. I didn’t know why. Rudy was more suitable, smarter, more experienced, more charismatic but I became the leader anyway. Dad made sure of it before he passed. His last wish, sealed and prepared, with all the documents arranged, leaving me little room to argue.
Since I took over, I haven’t been in a relationship. No dates. No flirting. No one even asked me out. It was as if inheriting the mantle of leadership came with an invisible barrier that said: “Stay away from her”.
I sighed to myself.
Wheezy, unbothered by my worries, stretched lazily before trotting off the bed. I forced myself up, rolled my shoulders, and made my way to my yoga mat. My morning routine wasn’t something I always enjoyed, but it kept me sane. As I went into my first pose, Wheezy plopped down behind the mat and began licking his balls enthusiastically.
“Wow,” I muttered, holding a stretch. “You’re really glad you won’t have your jewels neutered, huh?”
He ignored me. Typically the way he does.
Just as I finished my routine and straightened up, I heard a knock on the door. I wiped my forehead with my towel and went ahead to open it.
It was Eric. But not the normal Eric.
I blinked. Hard.
He stood stiffly at the doorway, wearing a fitted suit, well fitted, his hair slicked back with what looked like three handfuls of gel, and eyeglasses perched on his nose. He looked like someone who had just stepped off a movie set trying too hard to appear important.
“Oh, good morning,” he said, clearing his throat.
“Good morning,” I replied, still trying to process what I was seeing. “Um… you look… different today.”
He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, yeah. I, uh… decided to dress well today. I’m planning to attend my son’s judo kids tournament later.”
That made me pause. “Your… son?”
He blinked as if he realized he had forgotten to mention something obvious. “Yes, my son.”
“I didn’t know you had a child.”
His face flushed slightly, and he rubbed his head again, careful not to disturb the hair gel fortress he had built. “Ah… I uh… I’m actually married.”
I stared at him. “You’re married?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“For how long?”
“Six years.”
“Six years?” I repeated, surprised. “And you never mentioned it to me?”
He looked like a kid who had just been caught stealing cookies. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was important. And I didn’t want to trouble you with personal stuff.”
I crossed my arms gently. “It’s not trouble, Eric. You’re still a human being with a life. I didn’t know you had a family.”
“Well… I do,” he said quietly. “And I’m asking to take a break today so I can attend the tournament. I already arranged coverage while I’m gone.”
I nodded slowly. “So you’re leaving after your shift?”
“Yes. I hope it’s not inconvenient. I should have told you earlier. I apologize, seriously.”
“It’s fine,” I said, offering him a small smile. “Family is more important.”
He visibly relaxed. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“You don’t have to call me ma’am,” I sighed. “Especially not when you’re dressed like a high-budget wedding bodyguard.”
His ears went pink. “Ah—sorry.”
“It’s okay. Go enjoy your kid’s tournament. And tell your wife I said hello.”
His eyes widened. “I—yes! I will!”